The 11 Best Pellet Grills of 2024, Tested and Reviewed
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Our winner is the Yoder Smokers YS640 Pellet Grill
People / Will Dickey
If you enjoy grilling and smoking meat, a pellet grill is a worthwhile addition to your patio. These grills burn wood pellets to infuse your food with lots of smoky flavor, and they’re a favorite among grilling enthusiasts thanks to their versatility and easy operation. Whether you're cooking for a crowd like Dave Grohl, or making dinner for a few friends, a good pellet grill can up your BBQ game.
“Pellet grills are great for low and slow cooking of heavier meat like beef, brisket, pork shoulder or pork butt, hams, turkeys, and even ribs or large roast,” says Bill Hazel, chef and owner of BBQ food truck Bill's Grill. “They allow you to season your meat, then set it and forget it until the cook time is over.”
To find the best pellet grills available today, the PEOPLE Tested team tested 21 models from top brands, using the grills to cook steak, chicken wings, pizza, and more. After hours of rigorous testing, we found the best pellet grills that not only delivered the most flavor, but also offered the best temperature range and heat control, capacity, functionality, ease of cleaning, and overall value.
If you’re ready to take your grilling to the next level, these are the best pellet grills that PEOPLE Tested.
Best Overall: Yoder Smokers YS640S Pellet Grill
Pros
This grill heats up to its maximum temperature in just 10 minutes.
It has excellent heat retention and returns quickly to the set temperature after adding food.
It delivered distinct char marks and a rich, smoky flavor.
It has a 10-year warranty.
The grill includes Wi-Fi connectivity to monitor the temperature from your phone.
Cons
The hot spot is directly over the searing grate, so food can cook too quickly.
It weighs over 300 pounds and is quite heavy to move.
If you’re looking for a pellet grill that can do it all, the Yoder Smokers YS640 is worth its high price tag. During testing, we fell in love with this high-end grill and its highly adjustable temperature range, spacious interior, and Wi-Fi connectivity. This grill is made from heavy-duty 14-gauge steel for unbeatable durability, and it boasts a 640-square-inch main cooking grate with an optional second shelf that brings the total cooking area up to 1,070 square inches.
The Yoder Smokers YS640 heats up extremely quickly, reaching its maximum temperature in a little over 10 minutes, and it passed all of our tests with flying colors, delivering beautiful char marks and rich, smoky flavors. We also noticed the grill's excellent heat retention and it returned quickly to the set temperature after adding food. The grill was also a top performer when it came to traditional long smoking. It was basically the Goldilocks choice for pellet grills in the long-smoke test: not too much or too little smoke flavor, but just right all around. We thought the pork had a very clean flavor that wasn't muddled by astringent flavors commonly associated with foods that are over-smoked. In terms of performance, the only downside we could find is that there is a hot spot directly over the grill’s searing grate, so you may need to position food accordingly to avoid it cooking too quickly.
In addition to its stellar grilling and smoking abilities, this pellet grill is stacked with useful features, including Wi-Fi connectivity that allows you to monitor its temperature right from your smartphone and two integrated food probes. It also comes with a 10-year warranty, so you can feel confident in your purchase. It’s mounted on heavy-duty wheels that make it easy to move around, but keep in mind that this large grill weighs over 300 pounds — we highly recommend having two people available for assembly.
Dimensions: 61.3 x 55 x 36.1 inches | Weight: 335 pounds | Cooking Space: 1,070 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 20 pounds | Temperature Range: 150–600°F
Best Budget: Pit Boss 440 Deluxe Wood Pellet Grill
Pros
It provides well-defined smoky flavors when cooking steak, chicken, and more.
This grill heats up quickly, reaching the maximum temperature in 15 minutes.
It's compact, lightweight, and portable.
Cons
It has a small hopper that can only hold 5 pounds of wood pellets at a time.
For those just getting into smoking, the Pit Boss BP440D2 is a compact and budget-friendly model that’s ideal for beginners. This grill outperforms many larger, more expensive models, heating up quickly and delivering well-defined smoky flavors when cooking steak, chicken wings, and more. The grill is on the smaller side at less than 100 pounds, and it has a modest cooking space of 465 square inches — big enough to accommodate several pounds of chicken wings, but potentially not enough space for those who like to entertain large crowds.
This Pit Boss grill punched well above its weight, particularly on the searing and smoking tests. It was able to reach its maximum temperature in around 15 minutes, and food cooked on the grill had an intense smoky flavor. The grill did experience some temperature fluctuations during the 10-hour smoking session, but overall, it performed impressively considering its budget-friendly price.
However, the biggest downside of this grill has to be its small hopper. The hopper can only hold five pounds of wood pellets at a time, and in our testing, it needed to be refilled every two hours or so. This is definitely something to keep in mind if you’re planning long smoking sessions, as the grill will need regular maintenance.
Dimensions: 50.2 x 24.02 x 39.8 inches | Weight: 96 pounds | Cooking Space: 465 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 5 pounds | Temperature Range: 180–500°F
Best Investment: Traeger TBB86RLG Timberline Pellet Grill
Pros
This grill has a sleek design with many features, including Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth, and an induction cooktop.
It provided extremely consistent performance and earned perfect scores on every single test.
It has a large pellet hopper, so it operates longer without maintenance.
It cooked meats evenly and created a juicy and flavorful result.
It has a 10-year warranty.
Cons
It took about 30 minutes to reach its maximum temperature.
If you’re an experienced pitmaster looking for a top-of-the-line pellet grill, the Traeger Timberline is a worthwhile investment. Not only does this high-end grill have a sleek design that’s packed with useful features, but it was also the most consistent performer, excelling at every task we threw at it — the meats were evenly cooked and extremely juicy and flavorful, and there were no hot spots to speak of. It was the most consistent across the board, even lending a smoke flavor to a frozen pizza.
The Timberline has three racks for a total cooking area of 880 square inches, and it has a large 22-pound hopper that lets it operate for longer without any maintenance. In addition to its main cooking chamber, this grill also boasts an induction cooktop, Wi-Fi connectivity, Bluetooth meat probes, built-in lights, and ample storage room, making it an all-in-one outdoor cooking station for your summertime parties. It also comes with a 10-year warranty, so you can feel secure in your purchase. Our only complaint about this high-end grill is that it sometimes takes quite a while to reach its maximum temperature — even as long as 30 minutes. However, our team agrees that its stellar performance is worth the wait.
Dimensions: 59 x 25 x 51 inches | Weight: 238 pounds | Cooking Space: 880 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 22 pounds | Temperature Range: 165–500°F
Best Portable: Traeger TFB30KLF Tailgater Pellet Grill
Pros
It only weighs 60 pounds, so it's easy to move around.
It heats up quickly and maintains a consistent temperature throughout cooking.
This grill uses pellets efficiently and regulates fuel so you can cook longer before refilling.
Cons
It has a low maximum temperature of 450 degrees Fahrenheit, so it doesn’t thoroughly sear steaks.
This grill doesn’t produce the strongest smoky flavor.
You can smoke meat on the go with the Traeger Tailgater 20, the best portable pellet grill we tested. It weighs just over 60 pounds, making it easy to move around, and according to our team, the collapsible, fold-up legs make moving from ground level to a truck bed fast and easy. This grill offers 300 square inches of cooking space, which we found was enough to cook for four people at a time, and its eight-pound pellet hopper does a good job regulating the grill’s fuel, allowing you to cook for longer before needing to refill the pellets.
This grill performed well in our tests, reaching its target temperature quickly and maintaining a fairly consistent temperature throughout cooking. However, because its maximum temperature is only 450 degrees Fahrenheit, it doesn’t deliver the best sear marks when grilling. We also found that food cooked on this grill didn’t have the strongest smoky flavor, but overall, the design is convenient and efficient for grilling on the go.
Dimensions: 37 x 18 x 36 inches | Weight: 62 pounds | Cooking Space: 300 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 8 pounds | Temperature Range: 180–450°F
Related: The 17 Best Grilling Accessories of 2023 for a Perfect Backyard BBQ
Best Large Capacity: Weber Smokefire EX4 (2nd Gen) Wood Fired Pellet Grill
Pros
It has a spacious interior of 672 square inches of cooking space.
This grill provides superior heat regulation with a temperature range of up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
It has Wi-Fi connectivity to monitor and adjust the temperature from your phone.
Cons
This grill didn't provide the best searing; char marks were faint and the meat had a pan-seared appearance.
If you regularly cook for a crowd, the Weber SmokeFire EX4 has a spacious interior with 672 square inches of cooking space across two racks. In addition to its large grilling area, the Weber also has a uniquely designed pellet hopper that spans the back of the grill and can hold up to 22 pounds of fuel at a time, allowing you to go longer between refills. It even offers Wi-Fi connectivity, which means you can monitor and adjust the grill’s temperature right from your phone — ideal for when you’re entertaining.
As you might expect from this well-known brand, the Weber SmokeFire EX4 delivered top-tier results in our tests. The grill produced a very smoky-flavored pork butt that was right on par with the Yoder and Traeger Timberline models. The pork has a lovely aroma and a long finish without being overpowering. The only area where it fell flat was searing — the char marks were surprisingly faint and the meat had a pan-seared look, despite the grill's superior heat regulation and the fact that the grill goes up to 600 degrees Fahrenheit.
Dimensions: 47 x 43 x 33 inches | Weight: 178 pounds | Cooking Space: 672 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 22 pounds | Temperature Range: 200–600°F
Best Heat Control: Camp Chef SG 24 WiFi Pellet Grill
Pros
This grill reached its maximum temperature quickly and held that temp throughout the tests.
It has a direct flame, which aided with the sear test and created a delicious caramelized edge on the steaks.
It has a spacious hopper that doesn’t need to be refilled with pellets as often.
It has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity for temperature control on your phone.
Cons
Assembly is not for the faint of heart, so a more experienced griller might have better luck with this option.
The direct flame hindered the pizza bake: It charred the crust, which cooked more quickly than the toppings.
While this grill certainly required some assembly (definitely a project for a handy DIY-er), it reached its maximum temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit quickly and retained that heat throughout our grilling session. The direct flame exposure really aided our grill test, beautifully searing the steaks and evenly cooking the pizza and wings. The spacious 811-square-inch surface provides a ton of cooking space and is great for larger groups. The hopper can also hold 22 pounds of pellets; we didn’t have to refill it throughout our three tests.
In terms of features, this pellet grill offers Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity so you can control your grill’s temperature from wherever you are. Overall, the performance was stellar; the only hiccup was during our baking test, the pizza crust cooked faster than the toppings, so it became a bit charred. Once you’re finished grilling, the grates are easy to scrape clean.
The newest version of this grill, the Camp Chef Woodwind Pro 24 is double the price, but it has a smoke box on the front of the grill that ensures a delicious smoked flavor and a special ventilation design to deliver even heating for your cookouts.
Dimensions: 49 x 56 x 24.5 inches | Weight: 148 pounds | Cooking Space: 811 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 22 pounds | Temperature Range: 80–500°F
Best Features: recteq RT-590 Wood Pellet Grill
Pros
It has a high maximum temperature of 700 degrees Fahrenheit.
This grill offered consistent heat retention thanks to five-degree increments of heat control.
It has an extra-large hopper with room for 30 pounds of fuel.
It includes Wi-Fi connectivity to control the temperature from your smartphone.
Cons
This grill doesn't include an upper rack for warming food.
There is a hot spot near the hopper, which could lead to overcooking some food.
For a well-priced pellet grill that has all the features you could ever need while smoking or grilling, you can’t go wrong with the Recteq 590. It has a single 590-square-inch cooking grate and an impressive temperature range of 180 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, and it offers five-degree increments for more granular control. Plus, this grill has an extra-large 30-pound pellet hopper — the largest of all the grills we tested.
The Recteq 590 did a great job grilling and smoking meat in our testing. Although it had a hot spot near the hopper, the grill is very consistent as far as temperature and overall heat retention. While it doesn't include an upper rack for warming food, that's not a dealbreaker. It also features Wi-Fi connectivity so you can control it from your smartphone, as well as two meat probes to monitor the temperature of your food as it cooks.
Dimensions: 44 x 24 x 43.5 inches | Weight: 150 pounds | Cooking Space: 590 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 30 pounds | Temperature Range: 180–700°F
Best for Beginners: Traeger Pro Series 780 Wood Pellet Grill and Smoker
Pros
This grill performed well when grilling, searing, and baking, and the food had a rich flavor after smoking.
It includes every feature you could want, like Wi-Fi connectivity and a user-friendly control panel.
Individual parts of this grill are removable for easy cleaning.
It includes a top rack for warming.
Cons
It took 20 minutes to reach the maximum temp and had trouble with heat retention when food was added.
Removing the heat shield when it’s covered in grease made that part of cleaning difficult.
If you’re new to the art of the grill, we suggest starting with the Traeger Pro 780 pellet grill while you learn the ropes. It’s a highly user-friendly model with lots of bells and whistles that make grilling a breeze. Between the Wi-Fi connectivity and user-friendly control panel, it’s simple to control the temperature, whether you’re standing at the grill or checking your phone while entertaining guests. We appreciated the large cooking space of 780 square inches — perfect for a large family gathering — and the top warming rack that will keep everything nice and warm while you're working the grill.
It took about 20 minutes to reach the maximum temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit and there was one small hot spot over the burner, but in general, it seared, baked, and grilled the food we tested without issue. It created a perfectly baked pizza and juicy steaks, and the only major concern was the loss of heat when we added the food; it lost about 90 degrees and had a hard time returning to the original set temperature. During the smoke test, there wasn’t any visible smoke, but the smoky flavor produced was surprisingly present in the food. And when you’re finished grilling, the individual components can be removed from the grill for easy cleaning, though the heat shield is tricky to remove when greasy. However, we think this is a fantastic grill and a great price point for beginner grilling enthusiasts.
Dimensions: 55 x 49 x 27 inches | Weight: 150 pounds | Cooking Space: 780 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 18 pounds | Temperature Range: 78–500°F
Best for Baking: Oklahoma Joe's Rider 600 Pellet Grill
Pros
It features a large cooking space of 617 square inches.
We did not observe any distinguishable hot spots during testing.
The control panel is intuitive and guides users through each setting.
It has a spacious hopper, so you don’t have to frequently refill the pellets.
It features a quick-empty system for removing used pellets.
Cons
It's cumbersome to move because it only has two wheels and they don’t rotate.
Assembly proved difficult because the hardware was easily stripped and the smoke stack cover broke.
It struggled to sear steaks, so it would be better for grilling and baking.
If you prefer a nice baked chicken over a seared steak, this is the grill for you. While the assembly was a challenge — brittle hardware that stripped easily and a smoke stack cover that broke away — we loved the intuitive control panel that guided the user through multiple options. It took around 15 minutes to reach the maximum temperature of 517 degrees Fahrenheit and retained a temperature just under the set amount. We thought it unique that instead of a control with specific temperature settings, this model operates with three settings: low, medium, and high.
During our tests, the pellet grill created a light amount of smoke and faint grill marks on the steaks whereas it evenly baked a pizza with a faint smoky flavor, which is why we would recommend it for baking versus searing. It also grilled wings well, creating possibly the best-tasting wings we tried all day, and we didn't experience any hot spots with this grill. This model has two wheels that don’t rotate and considering its 150-pound weight, it’s not super portable. It does have a generous cooking space of 617 square inches and a large hopper, so you don’t have to refill wood pellets as often (it was essentially still full by the end of our test), and there’s a storage box for storing extra pellets. Plus, it has a quick-empty system for the old pellets.
Dimensions: 35.5 x 47.9 x 38.9 inches | Weight: 149.9 pounds | Cooking Space: 617 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 20 pounds | Temperature Range: 89–517°F
Best Smart Grill: Louisiana Grills 1000 Black Label Series Grill
Pros
It has a large capacity with 1,028 square inches of grilling area.
Thanks to a high maximum temperature of 500 degrees Fahrenheit, it provides a good sear.
The grill provided a nice smoky flavor to the chicken wings.
Cons
There is a hot spot on the left side of the grill, which can lead to uneven cooking.
Many of today’s best pellet grills offer Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, and our top recommendation for a smart pellet grill is the Louisiana Grills Black Label. Not only does this grill have a spacious 1,028-square-inch grilling area, but its smart features enhance the overall ease of use, making the grilling experience essentially hands-free. You can connect the grill to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and the app allows you to monitor and adjust the grill’s temperature remotely.
During our testing, the Louisiana Grills Black Label delivered a smoky flavor when we cooked chicken wings and yielded a well-seared steak, thanks to its high maximum temperature. The pork butt also came out with a lovely aroma and moderate smoky flavor. However, we did find that the left side of the grill is often noticeably hotter than the right side, which can lead to uneven cooking if you’re not careful about where you place your food.
Dimensions: 50 x 33.5 x 45.9 inches | Weight: 186 pounds | Cooking Space: 1,028 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 18 pounds | Temperature Range: 180–600°F
Easiest to Set Up: Traeger TFB89BLF Ironwood 885
Pros
This grill provided consistent temperature and heat retention, which made it perform well with searing and baking.
It has extensive and user-friendly control settings.
It has a huge cooking space of 885 square inches, so it's ideal for larger groups.
It has a large hopper with a 20-pellet capacity that sends smartphone notifications when it needs a refill.
Cons
It yielded a lighter smoke flavor than other grills we tested.
Traeger is one of the top brands when it comes to pellet grills, so it should come as no surprise that they have assembly down to a T. Despite its large size, the Traeger Ironwood 885 was extremely simple to set up, thanks to its clear instructions and minimal components. This grill is ideal for those who like cooking large amounts of food, as it offers 885 square inches of cooking space and a 20-pound pellet hopper that sends smartphone notifications when it’s running low.
The Ironwood 885 performed well when searing and baking, providing even, consistent heat across the whole cooking area. However, we noted that the grill performed just average in the smoking test even though it contained a ‘super smoke’ setting — a bit disappointing considering its high price point. The good news, though, is this grill offers granular control over a variety of settings, including the auger speed, built-in temperature probes, and more.
Dimensions: 53 x 27 x 47 inches | Weight: 175 pounds | Cooking Space: 885 square inches | Hopper Capacity: 20 pounds | Temperature Range: 165–500°F
Things to Consider When Buying a Pellet Grill
Cooking Area
Just like when searching for a traditional grill, as you shop for a pellet grill, it’s important to look at its cooking area, which is listed in square inches. The larger this number, the more food you’ll be able to cook on the grill at one time. In general, 400 to 500 square inches is ideal for an average household, but if you frequently host large parties, you may want a pellet grill with 800 square inches of cooking space or more.
As you look at these numbers, you’ll want to note whether the pellet grill's cooking area is one main grate or multiple racks. If it’s the latter, keep in mind that raised racks aren’t exposed to the same heat as the main grate, so they’re not ideal for high-heat cooking.
Temperature Range
Pellet grills operate similarly to ovens: You set your desired cooking temperature, and then the grill automatically maintains it by adding pellets to the firepot. For this reason, you’ll see that pellet grills have a listed temperature range. If you plan to do lots of low-and-slow smoking, you’ll likely want a grill that goes down to at least 180 degrees Fahrenheit (if not lower), and for searing meat, look for a model with a maximum temperature over 500 degrees, such as the Yoder Smokers YS640 Pellet Grill.
It’s also beneficial to look at the temperature increments that the grill offers. Some pellet grills, such as the Recteq 590, allow you to change the temperature in 5-degree increments, while others jump 25 degrees or more between settings, giving you less control over your grill.
Hopper Size
All pellet grills have a hopper that feeds wood pellets into the grill to be burned. However, hoppers can vary in size — models like the Pit Boss BP440D2 hold just 5 pounds of pellets at a time, while the Recteq 590 can hold a whopping 30 pounds of wood pellets. When a pellet grill has a larger hopper, it won’t need to be refilled with pellets for a longer period of time. This is useful if you’re planning long smoking sessions, such as cooking brisket.
When to Buy
Grills, including pellet grills, tend to be mostly a seasonal summer product, so if you want to get the best deal, wait until the off-season to start your shopping. Many retailers will mark down grills after Labor Day — as grilling season is winding down, they often want to clear out inventory to make room for next year’s models, allowing you to score great deals.
People / Russell Kilgore
How We Tested
The PEOPLE Tested team did a whole lot of grilling, smoking, and baking to find the best pellet grills for your backyard. We conducted firsthand testing on a total of 21 different grills, putting each model through the paces to evaluate its ease of use, consistency, features, and more.
Smoke and Grill Test: On each grill, we smoked five pounds of chicken wings, baked a frozen pepperoni pizza, and grilled four 8-ounce flank steaks. For the top-performing models, we also conducted a long smoking test, cooking a pork butt on the grill for upwards of 10 hours. There was a lot of taste testing involved, and we noted how evenly the food was cooked, whether it had a smoky flavor, and how many pellets were used in the cooking process.
Ease of Assembly and Use: Once our testing was complete, we rated each product on its ease of assembly and use, temperature range and heat control, capacity, features, ease of cleaning, and overall value. In the end, the winner was the Yoder Smokers YS640, which earned 4.6 out of 5 stars. The Traeger Timberline actually earned a perfect score of 5 out of 5, but given its sky-high price tag, we opted to list it as an investment-worthy pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a pellet grill cost?
Pellet grills can range significantly in price, with small, basic models retailing for as low as $300 and high-end options costing $3,000 or more. If you're looking for a starter pellet grill, our budget pick, the Pit Boss PB440D2, at the lower end of the price range, is a great option, while the Traeger Timberline Wood Pellet Grill is an excellent investment if you plan to do a lot of grilling for large numbers of people. In general, a good quality pellet grill with a decent temperature range and feature set will likely cost between $800 to $1,000.
What are the cons of a pellet grill?
While there are many benefits to cooking on a pellet grill, there are a few downsides, as well. One of the biggest cons of pellet grills is that, unlike the typical gas grill or a charcoal grill, they require electricity to operate their augers and fans, which means you need to have an electrical outlet nearby. Further, the wood pellets used to fuel these grills need to be kept dry — if they get wet, the pellets can expand and clog up the auger and hopper. This means you’ll likely need to invest in a cover for your grill if you plan to keep it in an uncovered outdoor area.
What are the different flavors of a pellet grill?
When cooking with a pellet grill, you can use various types of wood pellets to impart different flavors into your food. Some of the most popular options include apple, which is ideal for pork and poultry, and hickory, which is a go-to for barbecue. However, other wood pellet flavors include cherry, mesquite, maple, and pecan.
Why Trust PEOPLE?
Madison Yauger is a senior commerce writer for PEOPLE who’s tested hundreds of lifestyle products across all categories. With a background in news and lifestyle journalism, she has a wide network of expert sources and a penchant for accuracy. Camryn Rabideau has been a professional product tester since 2016, and she’s written extensively about all types of home appliances, including grills. To determine the best pellet grills of 2024, they used firsthand insights from PEOPLE lab tests while writing this piece, and also spoke with Bill Hazel, chef and owner of BBQ food truck Bill's Grill.
Meet Our Experts
Bill Hazel, chef and owner of BBQ food truck Bill's Grill
What Is People Tested?
We created the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval to help you find the very best products for your life. We use our unique methodology to test products in three labs across the country and with our network of home testers to determine their effectiveness, durability, ease of use, and so much more. Based on the results, we rate and recommend products so you can find the right one for your needs.
But we don’t stop there: We also regularly re-review the categories in which we’ve awarded the PEOPLE Tested seal of approval — because the best product of today might not be the best of tomorrow. And by the way, companies can never buy our recommendation: Their products must earn it, fair and square.
In short, PEOPLE Tested provides recommendations you can trust — every day, every purchase.
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